The Substance Took Us

By Dillon Hamann & Lloyd Epelbaum

| Musings of a Space Cowboy |

On November 4th, 2024, My dear friend Lloyd and I went into this movie completely blind. All we saw was "body horror" in the description, and the tickets were booked. Soon enough, we found ourselves in a minivan with four other besties, no one knowing what to expect. Two long hours and 20 minutes later, our faces hurt from cringing so hard at the visceral assault on our psyche that was this movie. Not only was this a body horror movie, but it was a movie that made sure that you would think about walking out of the theater no matter what you might be scared of. Some of my friends now swear they'll wear sunscreen for the rest of their lives, while others got a bit too aware of their skin...

The Descent into Madness

By the time we left, we were all in different stages of realizing we were all "just one..." - victims of The Substance. Some handled it better than others, but we found ourselves looking for an escape in the end. It starts with separating your new self from your old self, starting anew with unfounded confidence and euphoric energy. But you must remember to respect the balance; as time passes, you will become more unsatisfied with your old body and more obsessed with your new body.

The desire to stay young is one of those human feelings that everyone will experience, usually along with fear; the Substance offers a way out. After the transition into two bodies, one old and one young, new fears arise regarding one’s self-image. However, they’re still your eyes, just with a new perspective on your old body as it lies there lifeless. With a new body comes not only a new life but a new you. Being able to judge a representation of everything you don't want to be as a “better version” of yourself - and act on those thoughts - reveals how destructive self-hatred is.

Many choose to end their experience with the Substance prematurely, but those who drag it out often find themselves at war with themselves in the most literal sense. Watching Demi Moore take the Substance and defy its rules takes you along for the craziest crashout you will ever see on screen. It was a crashout so disgustingly beautiful that it even earned a 13-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival.

The Substance goes to show how self-acceptance is not a material fix but a cruel internal conflict that may never go away. Before you choose to start your journey with The Substance, try hitting rock bottom BEFORE you end up turning into a horrifying monster-amalgamation of all your potential selves in front of Hollywood.

| Musings of a Space Cowboy # 3 |

Credits:

The Substance (2024) dir. by Coralie Fargeat

Cover: https://www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/article/64690/1/the-substance-demi-moore-and-margaret-qualley-were-both-freaks

Gif 1: https://www.tumblr.com/dailyflicks/764143339007311873/margaret-qualley-as-sue-the-substance-2024

Gif 2: https://www.tumblr.com/sydneyadmu/764171396228202496/the-substance-2024-dir-coralie-fargeat

Gif 3: https://www.tumblr.com/dailyflicks/764143339007311873/margaret-qualley-as-sue-the-substance-2024